Former UCO Football Player, NFL Hopeful Accused Of Rape

Oklahoma City police said Tuesday DNA evidence linked a former University of Central Oklahoma football player and NFL hopeful to an alleged rape. Investigators arrested Alexander Figueroa, 26, last week on complaints of rape and forcible sodomy. A judge set his bond at $500,000. 

The investigation opened in January after a woman called police from a 7-Eleven near Northwest 16th Street and Meridian Avenue. According to a report, she was allegedly raped multiple times by a stranger. 

“She simply got into the car with someone who offered her a ride,” said MSgt. Gary Knight, Oklahoma City Police Department. “Seemed like a nice person, she agreed to get in.”

Instead, police said the suspect did not take the woman home as he initially agreed. 

In an arrest warrant, the victim reported that Figueroa made threatening remarks, "if he is doing her a favor then she needed to do him a favor" and "she had to be nice to him or something would happen to her."

He drove her to a park across the street from the 7-Eleven and allegedly forced himself on her. The victim claimed Figueroa then pushed her out of the car. The victim did go to a metro hospital for a rape exam. 

“We submitted DNA evidence to see if there was a match somewhere,” said Knight. “As time progressed, we were finally notified there was a CODIS hit, or a DNA hit that identified him.”

Police said Figueroa was charged in 2014 for sexually assaulting a Florida teenager. Online reports stated at the time of the crime Figueroa played for the University of Miami football team and was dismissed. He then played at UCO in 2017 and 2018.

Investigators caught up with Figueroa at a local gym where he worked as a personal trainer.

“We found he was working in this area,” said Knight. “We were able to obtain an arrest warrant for him.”

Staff and management where Figueroa was employed did not want to comment on the accusations.

Figueroa is currently being held in the Oklahoma County Detention Center. He has not been officially charged.